Waiters Island is reuniting with LeBron James.
Free-agent guard Dion Waiters has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for the remainder of the season, the team announced.
It's hoped Waiters will provide some shooting depth for the Lakers. He had a strong workout for the team this week, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. Waiters is eligible for postseason play because he was a free agent as of March 1 after the Memphis Grizzlies waived him in February.
The Lakers are reserving the option to release Waiters if the union doesn't work out, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Waiters comes with some baggage. After signing a four-year, $52-million contract with the Miami Heat in 2017, he fell out of favor with team president Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra this season, suiting up in just three games.
The Heat also suspended him for 10 games in November after he reportedly consumed a THC-infused edible on the team plane, leading to a medical episode. Miami later moved him to the Grizzlies in the trade for Andre Iguodala.
Waiters played with James when they were members of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014-15, and they share the same agent in Rich Paul. The Cavaliers traded Waiters to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the deal that brought J.R. Smith to Cleveland.
The 28-year-old can be an effective scorer when engaged and in shape. He shot 36.8% from deep in 123 games with the Heat from 2016-20.
